One Sided Story

A few weeks ago I posted a post on how the Local Press in Rutland just go along with what ever rubbish the Council put out without question. A prime example is this report about "Rutland’s tourist bus" that appeared today on the Rutland Times web page.

What this story shows is the way sided view the paper sometimes put out in stories that seem like they are straight from the press releases without any thought to the other side of the side of the story. In this case many residents of the villages that the bus service serves have raised concerns about the service which haven't been mentioned. Finally there is also questions about it lack of passengers, that failed to get a mention.

The story also raises questions about what planet Government are on with the Transport Minister Norman Baker MP saying “The Shorelink bus is a great example of an important connection being made in a small, rural county to help local residents, job seekers and tourists get around." The idea that a service that goes around a man made lake is going to help job seekers is a joke, it doesn't really go anywhere that would be useful for them like one of the larger towns or Cities that are near to the county. Yes, it might be good for tourists and the odd villager who missed a direct bus, but that is about it. If the government really wants to help job seekers then it might have considered a better use for its money like a direct bus to Grantham or another nearby large town.

It would be nice if the local press could report both sides of the stories they publish and not just the view of the Rutland County Council. In order to find out what is really going on and what other people think, for example about the council car parking story, you have read the letters pages of the paper buried deep in the paper or search the web.